130930-f2p-launch-september-29th
Content ---- ---- Or they could wait for the dust to settle on the GW2 release, take their time to get things right with WildStar this time and THEN release F2P... There's so, so much that still needs to be tested, balanced and fixed, it would easily take months to get it to a presentable state for F2P launch. | |} ---- ---- Of course its cupcaking NCSOFT.. its just too bad they rush it like this seeing how the profit could have been bigger by waiting another month or so to properly test their drop and get a decent quality on the content. I think the game is gonna flop by this decision alone.. Its launch all over again. | |} ---- Quite likely. One could only hope NCsoft had enough business sense to realise that waiting a little longer would bring much bigger profit in the end, but I guess they're not that smart. | |} ---- Not trying to be offending but i think ws has to make a profit before q3 or else ncsoft are gonna sack them. As much as it hurts I think ncsoft are pressuring them on release or some financial profits asap Edited September 3, 2015 by arakkune1 | |} ---- GW2 has been b2p for as long as I know. The only reason they went "f2p" is that that f2p only offers the base game, you still have to pay for the expansion. So, in essence, they are still b2p or a hybrid of the two. | |} ---- This is a likely reason, but if they released the current PTR now to live; they would lose the majority of current players and new players would leave as quickly as they did at launch. Edit: So far the only thing that has been tested in the PTR and adjusted/fixed has been the cash shop. Sure the runes have been changed, but find me one person that agree's the changes have been made correctly to help class balance. Currently find it hard to see WS F2P launch being anything but milking the remaining player base with a cash shop. Edited September 3, 2015 by Navity | |} ---- ---- ---- You gots to test that cash shop and while you are at it, actually spend RL cash on it for em! Its more important than the actual content! Edited September 3, 2015 by Thalothean | |} ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- I liked your post for the opinion, but mainly for the BLC Dryad icon. <3 That was the game | |} ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Why hasn't Carbine dropped NCSoft? Is because money? I mean... ArenaNet dropped them. Edited September 3, 2015 by Kal Skirata | |} ---- ---- Thats not how it works anet have a contract in which it was stated that they can buyback the company from ncsoft(technically ncsoft still owns anet but from what is happening it seems anet wants to go solo). I dont know how it works with carbine but ncsoft owns carbine. Edited September 3, 2015 by arakkune1 | |} ---- ---- Too much like Matrix: Reloaded for my taste. With Shade's Eve in the release, they had to put it out early in October to give people enough time to get used to the game and get some levels, so they could enjoy the event content. Edited September 3, 2015 by Elo'naa | |} ---- Tell me, when has anything in WildStar gotten tested, feeback gathered on and then changed/fixed in under a month? Because I certainly don't recall anything like that ever happening. Oh, also, things like the new Sprint fix, Runecrafting UI and (I certainly hope so anyway) runesets/specials didn't make it to this patch of PTR at all, even though they were supposed to. So we can't test those at all. There are so, so many things that are broken, unbalanced or just bad that need to be tested and changed still. Not just fluff things. Things that are gamebreaking. I don't see how those will make it to a patch before the launch. PvP for one is a total mess right now... | |} ---- Funny..... people said the exact same thing about launch during beta. | |} ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- This except class balance is way off atleast as far as i can test with no one doing PVP and with 300ms, plus rune specials still need tweaking. Oh and runecrafting UI, AP/SP Scaling (atleast for engi). So basically the only fight in front is endgame PVE and PVP and leveling curve. So currently only effects.... Everyone. Edited September 3, 2015 by Navity | |} ---- ---- ---- Well they might have been talking and working on the aspects around F2P for that long but if they worked that long on Drop 6, the content, then shame on them because if its actually almost 9 months of work its incredibly poorly made | |} ---- It's a little bit silly to even consider this when they've put out other content, including much of what has set the game 'right' in that time. 'Working on F2P' is everything from backend systems to the changes coming and Shade's Eve. Pretty disingenuous to say 'the content' is all that 9 months represents. There is plenty to criticize with honesty, we don't need to embellish things. -_- Edited September 3, 2015 by Kelimbror | |} ---- That was exactly my point.. I need a sarcasm sign. Point was, all thou its been talk about F2P internally for that long (9 months) by no means have the content been worked on long enough to have it being released at the end of this month, not considering how it looks currently. Edited September 3, 2015 by Thalothean | |} ---- ---- Well, NCSoft does own Carbine. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ncsoft-acquires-carbine-studios Don't think Carbine has the wherewithal to buy themselves out. Edited September 3, 2015 by rabidwargamer | |} ---- That is really hard to read. | |} ---- ---- I think you were around in closed beta like I was and if you remember back to when the initial launch was decided by those that held the purse strings (not carbine) you will recall the devs posting some very up front statements on the beta forum on how they would have liked more time with testing before launch making it pretty obvious that they did not feel the game was ready. I think MANY of us will agree that a large portion of the player base was lost due to some major oversights (like pvp gear rating dropping for one) that might have been identified and addressed had the developers had more time as they wanted. As the launch date was taken out of Carbine's hands and we know the disastrous results that followed, cuts were then made just a few months after launch including a huge chunk of Carbine employees losing jobs. Now, it is not unusual for a staff reduction after the launch of a game but you typically do not see these numbers within a few months and the game already had a long list of 'needs' as far as work that needed to be done. To say this game has been out a year is a true statement but I suggest that a circle of chaos started because of the early launch (before Devs were ready) resulting in a reduction of a huge chunk of employees that were needed to continue working on all the issues this game has and the additional work involved in taking it to ftp.I sincerely question whether Carbine had/has the proper staffing to handle everything. One article on the staff cuts: http://www.polygon.com/2014/10/23/7050545/wildstar-carbine-studios-layoffs | |} ---- Criticizing this move and supporting the game aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, I'd say they largely go hand-in-hand in this regard. People are complaining because they support the game and want to see it get the second chance it deserves. We don't want a repeat of the original launch. | |} ---- The launch date can be forced....what they decide to put in for that date is firmly in their corner. If they can't deliver stuff they should scream til they're blue in the face and not do it. If they are getting shat on like that I suggest they get some management in with some big melon sized balls to kick some *cupcake* and give them what for. Someone needs to stand up and say "this game is getting fkin ruined by these shat decisions"! Staff cuts or not they can bin content off etc, that's not forced on them. They don't need spoon feeding excuses. It's not good enough for people that have been paying their money every month. Edited September 3, 2015 by Charge | |} ---- You really have no clue on the hierarchy and who was pulling the strings do you? Carbine had no say in the matter as far as 'not doing it'. | |} ---- ---- I get the sentiment but I think that when something is problematic and known as such, creating non-solution-based negative buzz isn't helpful at all. I mean, in some specific cases, sure give critical feedback. Seems to have worked with the Holycrypt guy. But when the first page of the F2P announcement response thread is all negative backlash, with a lot of repeated sentiments... ehhh. What are they gonna do, go back on their announced date and just be like, let's listen to the forumites who know nothing of the development realities at CRB? Not to soapbox too much but a little positive attitude is probably way more helpful and supportive than big generalized "you done *cupcake*ed up" posts. :P But then this is the official forums, which don't get many viewers right now anyway... ;) So been there. I actually tuned in to the RP community and some of the housing scene, which has a decent amount of player stability. There are a bunch of names around still who have been playing since launch, and many since drop 3. I think Chef Noriack on Dom side's been hosting his cafe night for a year or something? I don't RP much myself, I just think they're nice people and many of them tend to commit or return, as an RPer has interest in laying roots and developing a side of the game that doesn't hinge on content updates or balancing. This makes them great assets to the social dynamic of any MMO, and as you've shown, just seeing a familiar name can brighten one's day. :D (btw, I totally recognize your hen pic and name, haha) | |} ---- You work there do you? You actually think NCSOFT came in there and said change the rune system, change the stats, give us a cash shop? They wanted it F2P...there's certain requirements for that...and 2 of those I've mentioned are not that. We don't know what goes on but CRB are responsible for this....no matter how much NCSOFT pressure them. Carbine has no say in it - really, they're the ones doing it. If they can't do it there's nothing to say. Edited September 4, 2015 by Charge | |} ---- ---- Wow, did you read my post? I wasn't discussing the rune system or changing stats, my post had nothing to do with the cash shop. lol Not even going to attempt to make a legit reply other than to say you have no clue what I was saying or the point I was making. My favorite statement of yours was this as it made me laugh Sort of like saying, we don't know what color it is but it is definitely blue. | |} ---- ---- And you think it's a good idea to do a major stat and runesystem change at a critical moment like this, where they are re-launching the game in an attempt to attract people to fix the suffering population issue? The game is a mess right now, so many thing are out of whack balance wise and many more things broken or just poorly designed. If it was launching with the current live content, it'd be better. But they decided to not only launch F2P, but also drop 6 with all the huge changes at the same time. That's why it's rushed. Cash Shop might be ready, but Drop 6 is not. New players will join, see a broken, unbalanced and unpolished game and leave. | |} ---- And that is all later game stuff that only effects people who have been playing it for a little bit. A brand new player isn't going to be getting into those systems immediately. Again, this change isn't about you or me or anyone else playing right now. It is purely about new players and money. There is still almost an entire month left before launch. Relax. Edited September 4, 2015 by Jamesius | |} ---- And all those players who quit at launch and who are interested in coming back? They come back, see what a mess this is and change their mind. Also it takes like 1-3 days to get from lvl 1 to 50 if you want to level fast. You really think Carbine can fix Drop 6 before a large number of new players are reaching endgame? Because I don't. | |} ---- A brand new player isn't going to be getting 1-50 in three days. You don't seem to be understanding who they are marketing to with F2P. | |} ---- I remember people getting to 50 in three days back at the first launch... And even if it takes every new player 2 weeks to get to lvl 50, Drop 6 endgame will most likely still be a mess by then. Oh, and I'm not even going to talk about the changed sprint function and new Explorers ragequitting the game due to bad movement system... I'm especially worried for PvP, the PvP community has been struggling since drop 2, and now is the best chance this game has at getting PvP up and going again... But it's very broken. People won't stay. Carbine/NCsoft would have made a LOT more money if they had waited a bit longer and taken their time to fix and get things working properly. | |} ---- Maybe they would have made more money if they waited, but they aren't going to. A dollar now is more than a possible two dollars in the future. | |} ---- Not every person who doesn't want to pay a sub is bad at MMOs. In fact, I'd wager that some of the people are returning players who will in fact hit Lv 50 very quickly, and enjoy the smack in the face from the amp/ability grind when they get there. | |} ---- I wasn't saying they are bad. I was saying they won't be getting from 1-50 in three days on a brand new MMO they've never played before. I don't think returning players will be doing it either for the most part. Some will, but the majority? No. Edited September 4, 2015 by Jamesius | |} ---- You wrote one sentence, I quoted it. It's very clear what you said so stop ya squirming quoting half a sentence and putting into a context you want to make it. We don't know what goes on but one things for sure...they have a shared responsibility so stop trying to diminish it. Edited September 4, 2015 by Charge | |} ---- I cannot figure out if you are completely clueless on the point or just trolling so I will give you the benefit of doubt with one last reply. The sentence of mine you quoted and tried to twist into runes and classes changes was in direct response to a comment I made to someone else about the initial launch date being out of the hands of Carbine and being decided by those that held the purse strings. This was very evident to those of us doing closed beta testing at the time as we communicated with carbine employees in a forum that was wiped after cbt. Carbine developers believed in transparency and made it clear that they felt that the game needed more time in beta (as beta testers did as well) before release but their hands (carbine) were tied and the game was launching due to the call being made by those backing the game financially. | |} ---- ---- But they will.. levling is ridicolous right now. I have levled 4 characters and the fastest is 24 hours played.. Back at launch I levled my character to 50 in 3-4 days played and since then they've made levling a lot faster.. so we will see new players at endgame before Carbine even roll out their first "bi-weekly". Carbines dev team is small, there is no way that they will manage to fix the mess of all the new systems before majority gets to 50. Edited September 4, 2015 by Thalothean | |} ---- I doubt people will get to 50 super fast. Some will, sure. Most won't get there that fast. We'll have "hardcore" F2P players, sure. The majority won't be, they'll be a lot more casual. Look at SWTOR with 12x XP... You can get to level cap in a day. I've done it. The majority, even with 12x, don't. I ran a guild over there, had people who would take well over 2 weeks to get to it. Just because you CAN level super fast, doesn't mean people will. Now, what the dev team does, and doesn't fix in the future, that is another matter. We'll see. | |} ---- Enough people will do it to see the flawed endgame and the word will spread.. Seeing how there is very little advertising for this game it relies on good player reviews. The endgame as it is now on the PTR doesnt exactly scream awesome. Im a bit pessimistic but after a year of the same cycle repeating itself its getting tiresome. All in all, we have to wait and see. As a pvp player that have been here since launch and focused only on pvp I dont have any high hopes right now. | |} ----